Open-ended mold-casting apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed metal casting apparatus of the type in which molten metal entering the top of an open-ended mold emerges from the bottom as a strand having an outer skin or shell and a molten interior, and the invention relates to supports for the strand as it leaves the mold and solidification progresses. This support comprises opposed supporting frames between which the strand is confined, and one or both of them moves up and down relative to the other and relative to the axis of the strand, the motion being either rectilineal or oscillatory. The frequency of the up and down cycle and its amplitude control the rate of travel of the strand.

United States Patent OPEN-ENDED MOLD-CASTING APPARATUS 15 Claims, 16 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 164/282, 164/261, 164/283 Int. Cl 822d 1 1/12 Field of Search 164/82, 83,

Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-John E. Roethel AttorneyParmelee, Utzler & Welsh ABSTRACT: There is disclosed metal casting apparatus of the type in which molten metal entering the top of an open-ended mold emerges from the bottom as a strand having an outer skin or shell and a molten interior, and the invention relates to supports for the strand as it leaves the mold and solidification progresses. This support comprises opposed supporting frames between which the strand is confined, and one or both of them moves up and down relative to the other and relative to the axis of the strand, the motion being either rectilineal or oscillatory. The frequency of the up and down cycle and its amplitude control the rate of travel of the strand.

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OPEN-ENDED MOLD-CASTING APPARATUS This invention relates to the casting of molten metal in an open-ended mold such as a mold used in continuous casting, or where molten metal introduced into one end of a mold emerges at the other end as an elongated shape with only the exterior solidified and the interior molten, and is for a method of and apparatus for supporting the elongated casting as it emerges from the mold.

When a casting emerges from an open-ended mold, the still highly heated solidified skin is relatively fragile and subject to the hydrostatic pressure of the molten metal inside, as a result of which the exterior of the casting must be supported to prevent bulging and possible rupture of the skin of the casting before adequate cooling has taken place. Good support is especially necessary with castings of large section, and particularly so with rectangular sections where the long sides of the casting must have efiective support. It is therefore common in the art to pass the emerging casting through aprons or guides which define a passageway conforming to the exterior dimensions of the casting, and which resist the outward hydrostatic pressure of the liquid interior of the casting. These supporting aprons generally comprise parallel vertical frames between which the casting moves, each frame having a vertical series of horizontal rollers therein which roll and press against the sides of the casting, while water is sprayed through the spaces between the rollers to accelerate cooling. in addition there is usually a pair of power-driven pinch rolls between which the casting moves. The pinch rolls control the rate of descent of the casting, and may exert tension on the casting to pull it down when necessary, and also restrain the casting from descending freely under its own weight. When the pinch rolls, located below the supporting guide must pull the casting down, the tension is transmitted through the thin wall of the casting, tending to stretch it and possibly rupture the skin.

The present invention as for its object to provide a unique guide designed to provide better support for the casting and more effectively control the rate of movement of the casting. It may render the use of pinch rolls unnecessary, or at least reduce the power requirements for them and reduce risk of deforming the casting by reason of the necessary pressure of the pinch rolls against the casting in order to develop traction between the rolls and the casting.

Broadly the invention provides two panels, one on each of two opposite sides of the casting. These panels have adequate frictional contact with the casting, so that if both were stationary, the casting would be clamped between them. Preferably the surfaces of the two panels which contact the casting are comprised of a series of closely spaced parallel vertical bars with provision for applying water to the casting through the spaces between the bars. The effective lengths of these opposed panels is commensurate with the lengths of the roller-type supporting frames heretofore used.

Provision is made for moving one of these panels relatively to the other in such manner that one has some vertical motion, or vertical component of motion relative to the other, aNd preferably both move relatively to each other so that as one moves up the other moves down. Roughly the action is comparable to that which takes place when one presses the palms of his hands flat against opposite sides of a book or other rigid flat object and holds it vertically before him. As long as the hands are stationary, the book cannot move, but if the hands are shuffled up and down while maintaining the same pressure, with one hand moving up as the other moves down, the book will move down under the pull of gravity in a succession of steps or increments, and the faster the hands are moved in this way, the more the travel of the book will seem less intermittent and more nearly continuous.

While straight up-and-down movement of the panels is most simple, similar results may be obtained if the panels have an orbital motion over the surface of the casting or an oscillatory movement so long as the direction of motion of the two panels does not coincide, one being stationary relative to the other, or one moving 180 out of phase with the other, preferably the latter.

The invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a more or less schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the view being a vertical section in substantially the plane of line I-l of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line II II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 2 showing a modified arrangement in which the vertical supporting bars are provided with water passages;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a modification in which various components of motion can be imparted to the panels;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrams indicating various components of motion which may be given to each of the panels with the apparatus shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing another diagram in which the panels are pivotally supported midway between their upper and lower ends for oscillatory movement;

FIG. 9 shows a similar arrangement where the panels are pivotally supported at their lower ends;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a mechanical arrangement for moving the panels equally and oppositely;

FIG. 1 1 is a transverse section in the plane of line XlXl of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing a different mechanical arrangement for reciprocating the panels;

FIG. 13 is a transverse section in the plane of line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view showing the applica tion of the present invention to a curved casting; and

FIG. 15 is a transverse section in the plane of line XV--XV of FIG. 14.

In the drawings, 2 indicates diagrammatically a usual type of open-end mold, such, for example, as a water-cooled mold used in continuous casting operations. The casting 4, or strand as it is called in the continuous casting art, incipiently forms in this mold and emerges from the bottom with a thin skin of solidified metal and a molten interior.

The casting or strand-supporting structure is designated generally as 6, and comprises two fixed side frame structures 7 which may be constructed and supported in various ways not important to this invention. Between these side frames are two identical supporting panels 8 and 8' in confronting spaced relation to each other, and between which the casting 4 descends. Assuming, as is generally the case where a support of this character is involved, the casting is rectangular section, as shown in FIG. 2, these two panels engage the wide faces of the casting. Each panel comprises an upper crossmember 9, a bottom cross member 10, and vertical side frame members 11.

There are a series of vertically extending parallel bars 12 extending the full height of each frame from the upper crossmember 9 to the lower crossmember 10. On the confronting faces of the two panels the bars have their outer edges projecting beyond the crossmembers 9 and 10, so that, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, only the edges of these bars bear against the sides of the casting. Intermediate the top and bottom of each panel are cross braces 13 and 14. It will be seen that the crossmembers from top to bottom progressively increase in section, and while the edges of the bars 12 that bear against the casting on each frame are in a vertical plane, the bars themselves progressively increase in width downwardly, being narrowest between theupper cross frame member 9 and cross brace 13, the bars being somewhat wider between braces 13 and 14, and widest between 14 and bottom cross fame member 10. The panels are so made to withstand the higher hydrostatic pressure of the column of molten metal inside the casting as the distance below the mold increases, but avoid needless weight in the upper part of the panel where the pressure is lower.

There is a stud shaft 15 projecting from each of the panel side frame members 11 at the top and similar stud shafts 15 near the bottom. There is a roller 17 on each of the studs that roll in vertically elongated recesses 18 in the fixed side frame structures 7 so as to permit limited vertical movement of the panels while keeping the distance between panels constant.

Depending from the bottom crossmember of each panel is a lug structure 19 to which is connected means for reciprocating the panels vertically in equal but opposite directions. This means is here indicated to be a piston rod 20 depending from each lug, each piston rod having a piston in a fluid pressure cylinder 21. Means is indicated at 22 for alternately applying lifting pressure to one cylinder while lowering the other, and then lowering the first and raising the second. Fluid pressure valve arrangements for this purpose may take many different forms and are only conventionally illustrated.

In addition to the vertically extending bars 12, there are vertically extending water spray tubes 22 located in staggered relation to the bars for projecting jets or sprays of water through the spaces between the bars against the surface of the casting to accelerate cooling. Also, as shown in FIG. 2A the bars themselves may have cooling water passages 12a extending lengthwise thereof to remove heat therefrom. These passages, if desired, could also have outlets through which water could be discharged from the bars themselves.

If the two movable panels where stationary, the casting would be confined between them and frictionally supported between them, so that the casting would be restrained against downward movement, either by gravity or tension exerted by pinch rolls (not shown) below the support. However, if the panels are reciprocated up and down, with one moving up as the other moves down, the downward component of force exerted by gravity or pinch rolls, or both, will cause the casting to travel downwardly because of the then unbalance of frictional restraining power. The movement downward will be in increments, the downward movement stopping during the instant when one panel has reached its lower limit of travel, and the other its upper limit and their respective directions of motion reverse. The vertical motion of the panels need be only a few millimeters, but can be selected for the optimum range best suited for the product being cast. The rate at which they move will determine the rate of descent of the casting, and with a short stroke and a rapid frequency, the travel of the casting will approach, for practical purposes, continuous movement, especially when the inertia of the downwardly moving casting tends to make it so.

The same unbalance of frictional forces against the casting may be secured if one panel is stationary and the other is reciprocated, or if one moves very slowly relative to the other, but each of these variations is less uniform and other wise less desirable than where the two panels move equally but in opposite directions.

There are many advantages in the support as herein described because each horizontal roller in a conventional support makes only line contact with the casting, and the full width of the area of the casting between adjacent lines of contact has no lateral support. Moreover the rollers are limited to a maximum diameter, since rollers of small diameter would be flexed outwardly by the pressure of the casting against them, and also the requirement for spraying water onto the casting imposes a space limitation. The bars 12 have a thickness such that their edges which bear against the casting may have a supporting surface of appreciable width, perhaps as great as the spacing between the bars. They give vertical support to the surface of the casting for the entire length of the panel as contrasted to the spaced horizontal lines of contact provided in roller supports now used. For wide slablike sections, this support is especially effective. Moreover, if the casting is of semielliptical section with the wide face being curved, the panels may be constructed for the bars 12 to conform to such shape, or arranged to support round or other shaped sections. Also, while two opposed panels are shown, two similar panels may be similarly provided against the other two sides where the casting requires support on four sides.

FIG. 3 shows schematically a modification where the panels 8 and 8' are indicated simply in rectangular outline, but are of the construction shown in the preceding figure. There are cylinder and piston units at the top of each panel, pivotally suspended from a fixed structure 31 for moving the panels up and down, out of phase, as described in FIG. 1. There is also a cylinder and piston unit 32 connected to one side of each panel about midway between the top and bottom, and each unit is also pivotally anchored to the fixed frame structure 31. Each side of the bottom of each panel has a depending link 33 pivotally attached thereto, the lower ends of the links of one panel being pivotally connected to horizontally aligned diametrically opposite points of a rigid frame structure 34, and this frame is pivotally supported at vertically aligned points, offset from the ends of the links 33, on the ends of horizontally extending links 35. The other ends of links 35 are anchored to the fixed frame 31 at 36. The lower end of the other panel has a similar linkage at its lower end, and similar reference numerals have been used to designate the corresponding elements.

In this figure a round dot has been placed at the geometric center of one panel and designated A, and a similar dot has been placed on the center of panel B. In FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 l have illustrated various paths of motion that the centers of the panels may be made to describe with the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, and which therefore represents the orbital motion of the panels themselves relative to the area of the casting. In FIG. 4 the orbit is circular for both panels but opposite, assuming that the stroke of both cylinder and piston units is identical but out of phase and the stroke of the pistons in units 32 is of the same magnitude as units 30, but one unit 32 is 180 out of phase with the other.

If the stroke of each unit 32 is greater in amplitude than the stroke of pistons in units 30, tub the same frequency, the orbit is elliptical, but the ellipses are opposite, as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows the motion of the panels if only the units 30 are operated with the units 32 at mid position in their strokes. If the units 32 are operated at half the frequency of the units 30 and in proper phase, the paths of the panels will be straight diagonals, as indicated in FIG 7.

In each of the diagrams of FIGS. 4 to 7, it will be seen that one panel has a downward motion, or downward component of motion, when the other moves with an upward motion or component of motion. Orbital motion of the kind indicated serves to more evenly distribute the sprays of water over the casting as it descends, and provide constantly shifting lines of support across the faces of the casting.

In FIG. 8 the panels are oscillated about their respective centers. Here, too, the panels are schematically represented and designated 8 and 8' Each is supported at its respective center on a shaft normal to the plane of the panel, the respective supporting shafts for the panels being designated 40. At one end of each unit, as for example the top as shown in FIG. 8, there is a cylinder and piston unit designated generally as 41, and the piston rods 42 of the respective units are pivotally attached to the panels while the cylinders are pivotally anchored at 43 to the stationary supporting structure for the casting unit.

With this arrangement the two panels are oscillated about their centers and in opposite directions, so that when one panel is moving from the high point of the arc to the low point of the arc, the other one is moving from the low point toward the high point, creating the unbalanced condition necessary to effect the downward motion, while at the same time the position of the bars 12 and spray nozzles is constantly changing with respect to the face of the casting against which they bear FIG. 9 shows somewhat schematically a somewhat similar arrangement where the panels are pivoted for oscillation at one end, as for example the bottom, rather than at the center. In this arrangement also the panels designated generally as 8 and 8' are mounted for rotation on shafts 45 which are fixed in the stationary frame for the casting unit. Each panel has a piston and cylinder at the end opposite the pivoted end, that is as shown in FIG. 9 at the top, and the piston rods 47 of these units are pivotally attached to the tops of the panels, and the cylinders are pivotally anchored at 48 to the fixed frame of the casting unit.

In the preceding figures, fluid pressure cylinders and pistons are shown as a means for reciprocating or oscillating the panels. FIG. shows an arrangement generally similar to FIG. 1, wherein the panels 8 and 8' are constructed the same as described in FIGS. ll, 2 or 2A, but in this arrangement the panels at the top have their ends pivotally supported in the side bars 50 of a yoke designated generally as 51 that encompasses the upper ends of the two panels, and this yoke has a roller 52 at the middle of each of the bars 50, these rollers being engaged in vertically elongated recesses in stationary upright frame members 53. There is a similar yoke 54 encompassing the lower ends of the panels 8 with rollers 52 similarly engaged in the uprights 53. One of the side bars of this yoke has an extension 56 thereon to which is pivotally connected a link 57. The other end of this link engages an eccentric pin or crank 58 that is rotated by a motor 59.

A modification of this arrangement is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 where the two panels 8 an 8' are constructed the same as the panel shown in FIG. 11, but in this case the panels have pivots 60 near their upper ends that are engaged in opposite ends of a lever 61 that is pivoted midway between its ends on pivots 62 supported in bearings 63. The bearings 63 are at the ends of links 64 that are pivotally supported at 65 on fixed side frame structures 66. There is a similar lever 67 near the lower ends of the panels 8 and 8', and the panels have pivots engaged in the ends of this lever. This lever is pivotally supported midway between its ends on a rock shaft 68. These rock shafts are supported in bearings 69 mounted on a fixed part of the casting machine frame. Each rock shaft has a depending arm 70, and a separate link 71 is pivotally attached to the lower end of each am. The other ends of the links 71 engage crank pins 72 on discs 73 at the opposite ends of a shaft 74. The shaft 74 is mounted in fixed bearings 75. There is sprocket wheel 76 at the middle of the shaft 74, and the shaft is rotated as shown in FIG. 12 by means of a drive chain 77 passing around the sprocket 76 and around a motor-driven sprocket 78.

With this arrangement, when shaft 74 is rotated, the arms 70 are oscillated preferably at a relatively high speed, thereby rocking the levers 67, causing the panels 8 and 8 to move up and down in opposite directions relative to each other. While there is a slight oscillation of the panels toward and away from the casting with a drive such as this, it is not significant because the up and down movement is only a few millimeters, so that the extent of arcuate movement relative to the vertical movement is insignificant.

Also, while fixed bars 12 have bee shown in the several figures, the bars could be vertically elongated cylinders which would be effective to support the casting in the direction of its length, but which would roll against the surface of the casting when the panels have an oscillatory or lateral component of motion.

In FIG. 14 the supports are arranged to also effect guiding and bending the casting from a generally vertical direction of travel to a generally horizontal direction. The mold itself may be a straight mold, or a curved mold such as is sometimes used in continuous casting. The structure of each of the supporting panels is essentially the same as in FIG. 1, except that instead of the panels being straight as in FIG. 1, they are curved in the direction in which the casting is to be bent. In this figure 80 designates one panel, and 80' the other. Each has a top crossmember 81, a lower crossmember 82, and side panel frame members 83 that connect the upper and lower crossmembers, and these are curved in a circular arc of about 90. Near the upper end of each curved side frame member 83 there is a guide roller 84 similar to the rollers of FIG. 1, engaged in an arcuately elongated recess 85 in a fixed structure 86 at each side of the panels There are similar guide rollers, also designated 84, at each side of the lower end of each panel similarly guided in an arcuately elongated recess in a fixed frame. Crossbars 87 are similar to crossbars 13 and M of FIG. 1, and a series of spaced bars 88, corresponding to bars 12 of FIG. I, but which are arcuately curved, are fixed in the panels, and the bars of one panel confronting the bars of the other define between them an arcuately curved space between which the casting travels while it is also supported. As the casting travels along the curved space, it is guided or bent from a substantially vertical to a substantially horizontal direction.

The curved panels are reciprocated in equal but relatively opposite direction by any of the mechanism herein described, or any other mechanism which will reciprocate them at a selected frequency. In FIG. 14 l have shown a link 90 on the lower crossbar of each panel. There is a lever 91 pivotally supported between its ends on a fixed support 92, and the two links 90 are pivotally connected to this lever on opposite sides of this support equal distances from the pivotal center. The lever is extended at one end for connection with means (not shown) for reciprocating it. Water cooling tubes are not shown, but provision similar to FIG. 2 or 2A may be desirably employed to accelerate cooling, where this is desired.

By modification as herein described in other figures, compound lateral and reciprocable motion may be given to the curved panels. To the extent applicable, any portion of one modification may be used in another. In all of the various forms described, and which are illustrative, the casting is confined between two panels with supporting elements such as bars 12 that extend lengthwise of the casting, and by relative motion of one with respect to the other and relative to the casting, create an unbalance in friction between the casting which is moved either by its own weight or by pinch rolls or both, and the panels to control the movement of the casting while providing more effective support than supports heretofore provided for this purpose.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open-ended mold comprising:

a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels having vertically elongated supporting elements therein arranged to continuously frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting, and

b. means for moving one panel relatively to the other in a direction that includes a component of motion in the direction of travel of the casting while maintaining the panels in frictional contact with the sides of the casting.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means is arranged to effect rectilinear movement of one panel relatively to the other.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means is arranged to effect oscillatory motion of one panel relatively to the other in a plane parallel with the sides of the casting which they support.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means is arranged to simultaneously move both panels equally but out of phase with each other.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the vertically elongated supporting elements comprise a series of spaced vertically extending members, the width of the series being substantially coextensive with the width of the surface of the casting which they support.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which water tubes are arranged to spray water between the spaced members against the surfaces of the casting.

7. Apparatus as defined claim 5 in which the spaced vertically extending members are water-cooled.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which the spaced vertically extending members are bars of rectangular section with the narrow sides being arranged to contact the casting.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the panels are curved about a common center to guide the casting from a substantially vertical direction of travel to a horizontally extending direction of travel, said means for moving one panel relatively to the other being arranged to move both panels simultaneously in an arc but in relatively opposite directions.

10. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open ended mold comprising:

a a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of he casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels having vertically elongated supporting elements therein arranged to frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting, and

b. means arranged to effect oscillatory motion of one panel relatively to the other in a plane parallel with the sides of the casting which they support.

ll. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open-ended mold comprising:

a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels including supporting elements therein elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and arranged to continuously frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting;

b. means for imparting movement to at least one of said panels in two directions opposite to each other; and

c. means maintaining said one panel in a single, substantially rectilinear path in both directions of movement thereof and parallel to the other of said panels.

12. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open-ended mold comprising:

a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels including supporting elements therein elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and arranged to continuously frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting, and

b. means connected to at least one of said panels for imparting movement to at least one of said panels alternately in the direction of travel of the casting and in the direction opposite to travel of the casting, while each said panel is maintained in contact with the casting.

13. The apparatus specified in claim I, wherein said panels are connected proximate each elongated end portion by a pivoted link which is connected to drive means to serve as the means for imparting movement to said panels.

14. The apparatus specified in claim 9, wherein one elongated end portion of said panels are linked together via a pivotal connection, to a lever adapted to be connected to drive means for effecting movement of said panels.

15. Apparatus as specified in claim 5, in which a supporting frame is provided for each of the series of spaced vertically extending members, each supporting frame having two ends, and wherein guide means are provided to maintain said supporting frames in parallel planes during oscillatory motion thereof together with said panels. 

1. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open-ended mold comprising: a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels having vertically elongated supporting elements therein arranged to continuously frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting, and b. means for moving one panel relatively to the other in a direction that includes a component of motion in the direction of travel of the casting while maintaining the panels in frictional contact with the sides of the casting.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means is arranged to effect rectilinear movement of one panel relatively to the other.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means is arranged to effect oscillatory motion of one panel relatively to the other in a plane parallel with the sides of the casting which they support.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said last-named means is arranged to simultaneously move both panels equally but 180* out of phase with each other.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the vertically elongated supporting elements comprise a series of spaced vertically extending members, the width of the series being substantially coextensive with the width of the surface of the casting which they support.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which water tubes are arranged to spray water between the spaced members against the surfaces of the casting.
 7. Apparatus as defined claim 5 in which the spaced vertically extending members are water-cooled.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which the spaced vertically extending members are bars of rectangular section with the narrow sides being arranged to contact the casting.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the panels are curved about a common center to guide the casting from a substantially vertical direction of travel to a horizontally extending direction of travel, said means for moving one panel relatively to the other being arranged to move both panels simultaneously in an arc but in relatively opposite directions.
 10. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open ended mold comprising: a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of he casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels having vertically elongated supporting elements therein arranged to frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting, and b. means arranged to effect oscillatory motion of one panel relatively to the other in a plane parallel with the sides of the casting which they support.
 11. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open-ended mold comprising: a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels including supporting elements therein elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and arranged to continuously frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting; b. means for imparting movement to at least one of said panels in two directions oppositE to each other; and c. means maintaining said one panel in a single, substantially rectilinear path in both directions of movement thereof and parallel to the other of said panels.
 12. Apparatus for supporting a casting as it emerges from an open-ended mold comprising: a. a pair of opposed panels elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and spaced from each other to define between them a passage through which the casting is moved, the panels including supporting elements therein elongated in the direction of travel of the casting and arranged to continuously frictionally contact opposite sides of the casting, and b. means connected to at least one of said panels for imparting movement to at least one of said panels alternately in the direction of travel of the casting and in the direction opposite to travel of the casting, while each said panel is maintained in contact with the casting.
 13. The apparatus specified in claim 1, wherein said panels are connected proximate each elongated end portion by a pivoted link which is connected to drive means to serve as the means for imparting movement to said panels.
 14. The apparatus specified in claim 9, wherein one elongated end portion of said panels are linked together via a pivotal connection, to a lever adapted to be connected to drive means for effecting movement of said panels.
 15. Apparatus as specified in claim 5, in which a supporting frame is provided for each of the series of spaced vertically extending members, each supporting frame having two ends, and wherein guide means are provided to maintain said supporting frames in parallel planes during oscillatory motion thereof together with said panels. 